This invention relates to ampoules and more particularly to the structure of an ampoule for containing a fixed prescribed quantity of a medicament liquid to be used with a liquid atomizer.
Medicament liquids for a quick relief such as those for relieving the symptoms of asthma must be measured accurately for each dose. In order to prepare an accurately measured amount of a medicament liquid, an instrument such as an injector syringe or a pipette must be used, but it is a very troublesome task for a patient to use such an instrument to prepare an accurately measured dose each time it is to be used. Moreover, many patients are not used to such instruments and may fail to have the intended amount of a medicament liquid to be administered. In the case of a medicament liquid that must be administered by a fixed amount, therefore, it is particularly desirable to have it preliminarily measured and packaged individually.
Japanese Patent Publication Tokuhyo 9-511443 disclosed a liquid ampoule for containing an individually measured prescribed mount of a medicament liquid. Since this container is of the structure having one end closed and adapted to have a piston inserted after being filled with a medicament liquid, it is not possible to store the medicament liquid inside without having any air mixed in under an atmospheric condition. Thus, a method of filling the container under a reduced-pressure condition must be adopted, but this means that a dedicated equipment for reducing pressure is required.
When the stored medicament liquid is discharged out of the ampoule, furthermore, a sharp needle-like member must be inserted into the reservoir part, but since the device according to aforementioned Japanese Patent Publication Tokuhyo 9-511443 is not intended to be used for atomizing a liquid and a relatively large quantity of liquid is intended to be stored and discharged, the amount of the medicament liquid which may be left inside the ampoule or the needle-like instrument and fail to be delivered out does not seem to be considered a serious problem.
The dose of a quick-acting medicament liquid for relieving the symptoms of an asthma patient, for example, may be as small as about 20 microliters and hence the amount of the medicament liquid that may remain inside the ampoule and/or the needle-like instrument presents a serious problem.